On Friday, September 21, 2012, Engineer Hailemariam Desalegn was sworn in as Ethiopia’s new Prime Minister. His appointment by the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) comes one month after the death of the late Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Meles Zenawi, was announced on August 20, 2012. He was laid to rest on September 2, 2012.

While attending law school at the Addis Ababa University, Judge Birtukan Mideksa’s vision might have been leading a decent and peaceful life while practicing law in Ethiopia’s judicial system. Fate would have her preside over a high profile case in early career as a district judge in the Ethiopian federal judiciary system.

A new study by Dr. Quentin D. Atkinson, which appeared in the April 15, 2011, issue of the journal Science, points to Africa as the origin of languages. To reach this conclusion, he applied mathematical methods to linguistics and studied patterns in more than 500 languages spoken throughout the world.

In the spirit of our unique experiences, to remind ourselves about our collective achievements during the last year, to remember once more the outstanding lifetime contributions of our lost ones during the year, and to espouse the collective determination of our society to make a continued progress in the New Year, Finfinne Times announces its second trial recognitions of Outstanding Ethiopian Accomplishments of the Year (OEAY) and a Memoriam of an Ethiopian’s Outstanding Lifetime Contributions (MEOLC.)

In the spirit of our unique experiences, to remind ourselves about our collective achievements during the last year, to remember once more the outstanding lifetime contributions of our lost ones during the year, and to espouse the collective determination of our society to make a continued progress in the New Year, Finfinne Times announces its first trial recognitions of Outstanding Ethiopian Accomplishments of the Year (OEAY) and a Memoriam of an Ethiopian’s Outstanding Lifetime Contributions (MEOLC.)

In September 1994, Darara Kafani, a successful businessman in Ambo, Oromia regional state, Ethiopia, was assassinated in cold blood. In a recently released book in Amharic, titled "Yegazexegnaw Mastawesha," roughly translated "The Journalist's Memoir," Tesfaye Gebreab recounts what he claimed to have heard from a certain Major Jemal Yusuf, who, Tesfaye writes, passed away about a year ago. Tesfaye reveals about a meticulous tactic that was planned and put to practice in the Oromia region. Tesfaye sends a mixed signal about whether this meticulous tactic was to agitate the people for rebellion, or to suppress them and govern them.

He points out that the execution of the plan in Ambo was made by a committee that was headed by Abba Dula Gammada, the current president of Oromia. He suggests that the plan was not isolated to Ambo, but was for all the major cities in Oromia. However, Tesfaye gives no other specifics beyond his suggestion about what happened in other cities in this chapter of his memoir.

Finfinne Times is presenting its readers an unofficial translation from Amharic to English of Tesfaye's account of Darara's assassination. This unofficial translation was done to the best knowledge of the translator and in a literal way as much as possible to keep the sentiment in which the author wrote the memoir. This unofficial translation of Tasfaye's account is presented here in its entirety.

Don't say it can't be – it has been as it did
Buried buried – lie the remains
Uplifting the stone – who knows if it rises?
"The rocks piled – the dirt mixed
That lives quietly – wearing the grass and leaves
The remain is a mountain – has neither mouth nor ear
Doesn't hear can't be cultivated – it is huge deaf"
You said and ignored – without knowing what is within it
I am afraid for you – that it might explode and you get destroyed

On December 27, 2008, Birtukan Mideksa, the top leader of the Unity for Democracy and Justice Party (UDJP) in Ethiopia wrote a lengthy statement in Amharic that she titled Kale, which roughly means "My Word." Finfinne Times is an independent newspaper and has no affiliation with Birtukan or her party. As such, it is presenting its readers an unofficial translation of her statement from Amharic to English. This unofficial translation was done without consultation with legal experts but to the best knowledge of the translator and in a literal way as much as possible. We stand to be corrected if there is any unintended discrepancy in this translation and welcome any and all suggestions to correct any discrepancy, as well as any better version from any interested party.

In its February 21, 2008, issue, the scientific journal nature reported a study on genotype, haplotype, and copy-number variation in worldwide human populations. The study is reportedly based on a worldwide sample of 29 populations, 485 individuals, and five geographic regions of the world, namely, Africa, Eurasia, East Asia, Oceania, and America. The study supports the theory that humanity originated in Africa and spread to the other parts of the world.

The study also suggests that the geographic distance is a primary determinant of human genetic differentiation and draws parallels between linear increase in genetic distance and geographic distance from East Africa.

Humanity has explored the vastness of the universe, the deep oceans, the microstructure of atoms, human consciousness, and so on. While the efforts made so far in these explorations are tremendous, even more efforts may be necessary to continue the explorations to fully understand nature.

Language has been the means of communication of humanity to better understand itself and nature. The history of origin and evolution of languages is another vast area that has not been fully explored. Attempts have been made in the past to understand the origin of languages. However, it doesn’t seem that any conclusion has been reached about it.